Bio: Krueger, Ennis (Killed in Confrontation – 1918)

Contact: Ann Stevens
Email: ann@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Krueger, Jensen, Kintsman, Laino

----Source: Neillsville Times (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 9/26/1918

Krueger, Ennis (Killed in Confrontation – 22 Sep 1918)

Ennis Krueger, youngest son of Mrs. Louis Krueger, was the first of the boys to pay the penalty for the killing of Harry Jensen. He was shot through the head on Sunday afternoon and killed instantly. Thus the spectacular draft evasion is rapidly coming to a close. Ennis is dead, Frank is wounded and in jail at Eau Claire, Leslie is in hourly danger of being captured if not killed, and a nation-wide search is being made for Louis.

Ennis was killed Sunday afternoon near Polly, 11 miles north of Thorp in Taylor County. On Saturday evening about 10:30, he and his brother, Leslie, had awakened the storekeeper, E.L. Kintsman, and made a purchase of eatables and overalls. However, he saw that another was waiting outside the store and when the boys had gone, he went to Thorp and telephoned to the United States Marshal at Owen. The marshal organized a posse and was in the neighborhood of Polly a short time later. In the meantime, the citizens of Polly had located the boys in an old hay barn and when the posse arrived, the barn was surrounded. On entering the barn Ennis Krueger was found asleep on the hay, but no trace of his brother was to be seen. Ennis was ordered to hold up his hands and when he made a move as if trying to pull a revolver from his pocket, the United States Marshal opened fire. The bullet struck Ennis in the forehead and killed him instantly.

The remains of young Krueger were taken to Owen and placed in an undertaking establishment there. Just what disposition will be made of the body is not known, but it will no doubt be buried through the orders of Mrs. Krueger. She was notified of her son’s death and wept copiously, but seemed to have expected such news.

The search is now on for Leslie and Louis Krueger, the remaining of the two boys. It has been fairly definitely established that Leslie was home at the time of the battle and engaged in it, but escaped along with Ennis. Frank Krueger has admitted that Leslie was home, but there has been no proof as yet that Louis was home at the time of the fight. There is evidence that Louis had been home one or two times since he had fled the country and it is possible that all the boys were at home on the Saturday on which their arrest was attempted.

Ennis is described as being the most dangerous of all the Krueger boys. He was the youngest, being but 20 years of age, but was stubborn and willful. He was a graduate of the Owen High School.

Emil Laino, who was shot four times in the battle, is getting along nicely at the hospital at Marshfield, and is on a fair road to quick recovery.